Neck injury from sudden acceleration or deceleration force is extremely common. The term “whiplash” was initially coined in 1928 and describes damage to both bone and soft tissue in the neck when the head and body are accelerated, each from the other, causing severe hyperflexion, hyperextension, or lateral bending of the cervical spine. While whiplash injury is most commonly seen in motor vehicle accidents, contact sports are also a frequent cause of such injuries. Many contact sports require the use of protective headgear, which has been implicated as a cause of increased neck injury because of the increase in mass or weight of the head when protective headgear is worn. While rarely lethal, whiplash injuries result in substantial morbidity and economic loss.
While much has been done to design protective headgear in professional sport, little has been done to prevent concomitant neck injury which occurs with similar frequency. Indeed, because of the increased weight of protective head gear, many have speculated that the wearing of a helmet may actually increase the risk of neck injury in both athletic and motor sports. Clearly, there is a need to protect not only the head but also the neck in any contact sport or other sporting endeavors where helmet wearing is a must.